Time Course of Stress Relaxation in Isolated Arterial Segments

Abstract

Comparison of stress relaxation following sudden volume increase of isolated segments of carotid and umbilical arteries indicates that tension contributed by the smooth muscle component disappears in a few sec., leaving only the tension contributed by elastic components. The time course of stress relaxation in the arterial wall is non-exponential, and can be resolved only when residual stress is plotted vs. log time. This behavior is discussed in light of existing theories of similar behavior in artificial materials.